Letters to the Editor - 11/17/07

Regarding the Temecula shooting incident, the public has the
freedom to voice comments and opinions, but we must always be
careful that we do not hurt anyone as some of the comments have
been shared.

Dee Urban

Temecula

View of nation's history is inaccurate

With due respect, I would like to comment on Gerald Summers'
letter titled "A look at founding principles" (Letters, Nov. 14).
Mr. Summers has some inaccurate views of Christianity. Christianity
is not a religion, it is a belief in Christ, and the supporting
document is the Bible. A Christian church is a place where people
come to worship, and to be instructed in the Bible and its
principles, to have fellowship with each other, and to help others
in the community and in the world.

Our nation was founded on the teachings of the Bible and has
been the strength for a fragile democracy for 200 years. I keep
hearing about deists founding our country. Some were, but most were
not.

Our Christian beginnings are evidenced by the abolition of
slavery, the right of women to vote, and freedom of speech and
religion, for just a sample. Also, our nation is more charitable
than any other nation! Our nation is rapidly becoming more secular,
as evidenced by legalized abortion, abolishing the Bible from
schools, legalizing pornography, and sex and violence on TV and in
the movies. We have school shootings, single-parent families, and
violent gangs roaming the streets. This has all started from the
'60s when we threw God out of our schools and now continues with
the ACLU trying to eliminate God from our country.

Does Mr. Summers believe our morality and ethics have progressed
in the last 47 years? Are we "One Nation under God?"

Bob Swannie

Murrieta

Help stop the slaughter of dolphins

There is a terrible situation happening in Japan right now, and
I am asking that everyone please sign an online petition to stop
it.

In Taiji, Japan, local fishermen are conducting a dolphin drive,
where they are killing 20,000 dolphins and small whales between now
and April. This has gone on for years, but until recently they have
been successful in keeping it secret. They herd them into shallow
coves and beat them with clubs or slash them to death with knives.
It's brutal and cruel. The world is now finding out about it and
working to stop it!

There is a Web site,
www.actfordolphins.com
, which
includes a petition to end the slaughter. Once enough signatures
are gathered, the petition will be presented to the prime minister
of Japan, by prominent marine biologists/scientists, in an effort
to urge him to stop the killing. Please sign the petition and ask
everyone you know to sign it.

In addition, there is a button on the Web site - "How can I
help?" - that lists other steps you can take to help end the
slaughter. Please help these highly intelligent, gentle animals and
go to
www.actfordolphins.com
and sign
the petition. Thank you.